July 18, 2025

PFS 2025: Week 5 Highlights

Dear PFS Community,

What a successful and extraordinary summer!

This week, we officially wrapped up our 35th summer of Partnership for Success—and what a journey it’s been. Each evening, we had the honor of welcoming families to our beautiful campuses to celebrate Family Night and witness firsthand the incredible learning, growth, and creativity that took place over these five powerful weeks.

To our phenomenal teachers and interns: THANK YOU! Your commitment, care, and energy inspired awe in all of us. The learning you facilitated and the joy you brought to each classroom created meaningful memories that our Scholars will carry with them for years to come.

This summer reaffirmed something we already knew—PFS is more important than ever. Our community has faced what at times felt like insurmountable challenges. And yet, even in the face of unimaginable loss—like families still recovering from the Eaton Fire—our students continued to show up, ready to learn, laugh, and lead. One PFS parent, who remains displaced, shared with me that PFS has been an anchor of stability for her children. A place of hope. A reason to smile. It is an honor to provide that haven for our Scholars and their families.

On Thursday evening, we celebrated the graduation of the incredible PFS Class of 2025. It was a beautiful opportunity to reflect on a 9-year journey—one that began in elementary school and has now launched these students into the next chapter of their lives. One hundred percent of our graduates are headed to college! They applied to 57 schools, earned acceptances to 38, and will be attending 13 different colleges and universities including UCLA, UC Santa Cruz, the University of Oregon, Pasadena City College, and Morgan State University. Our Scholars plan to study aviation, business, biology, civil engineering, marine biology, neuroscience, psychology, sports medicine, and more. With bright minds and bold dreams, they are officially PFS alumni—and we couldn’t be prouder.

In celebration of their achievement, PFS awarded $30,000 in scholarships, with each Scholar receiving $1,000 to support their college journey. We look forward to welcoming them back as interns, future alumni speakers, and lifelong role models for the generations that follow.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the incredible generosity of our community—our partner schools Chandler, Mayfield Junior, Poly, and Westridge, as well as the foundations and individuals who support our mission because they believe in the power of education to transform lives and strengthen communities. Thanks to their extraordinary generosity and support, every PFS Scholar has the opportunity to explore, grow, and reach their full potential. Thank you for being part of the PFS magic this summer!

To our students, we wish you a restful break and an amazing start to the new school year. While our summer session has ended, we’ll be reconnecting soon—whether through our college access workshops for seniors, mentor-mentee gatherings, or the start of our 2026 enrollment process in December.

Please take a moment to review the important dates listed at the end of this newsletter and enjoy the final highlights from each of our PFS sites. As always, don’t forget to connect with us on Instagram: @pfspasadena

With deep gratitude and warmest wishes for the rest of your summer,

Dr. Jessica Pérez del Toro
Executive Director

Chandler Highlights

Scholars wrapped up their week with ukuleles at Family Night, messages of gratitude in computer class, film screenings of the Hammurabi Code, balancing peacock feathers in science, and spent some time soaking up the sun with water slides.

Westridge Highlights

Scholars ended the summer with a splash! After celebrating their learning alongside family, they ended the week with heartfelt reflections on community and growth—followed by an epic water slide and a make-your-own ice cream sundae bar!

Mayfield Highlights

Scholars wrapped up their final projects and eagerly prepared for a beautiful Family Night. The week ended with exciting games and water play, making it a memorable and bittersweet farewell to a fantastic summer!

Poly Highlights

An overnight trip to the Claremont Colleges for the seniors, luncheons with special guests, bonding and fun at Sky Zone and graduation for the Undergrads, and a culminating Summer Carnival! Week 5 was filled with epic experiences and memories.